Gov. Shapiro: Arson Won’t Deter Our Family From Passover Seder, Nor ‘Any Pennsylvanian From Celebrating Their Faith Openly And Proudly’

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke to reporters in front of the fire damaged governor’s mansion Sunday, where he decried political and religious violence and vowed not to be deterred by the arsonist or any other threat.

Shapiro, a Democrat, noted that there is not as yet a specific motive determination by authorities in the shocking attack that took place as his family was sleeping. But he did bring up the idea of political violence in the country, and particularly spoke on the possibility of bigotry against his Jewish faith.

During the presser, the governor said that we do know “a few truths” even as we wait for more specific information.

“First: This type of violence is not okay,” he said. “This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. And I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another, or one particular person or another. It is not okay. And it has to stop.”

He also suggested the possibility the attack was anti-Semitic. Shapiro has been prominently the subject of anti-Semitic sentiment, intense pushback on his support for Israel, and speculation on such sentiments playing a factor in his not being named running mate to former Vice President Kamala Harris last year.

“If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night?” Shapiro said. “Hear me on this: We celebrated our faith last night proudly, and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover, again, proudly.”

“No one will deter me or my family or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly,” the governor said.

We do know that this attack was targeted. We don’t know the person’s specific motive yet, but we do a few truths.

First: This type of violence is not okay. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. And I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another, or one particular person or another. It is not okay. And it has to stop. We have to be better than this. And we have a responsibility to all be better.

Second: If this individual was trying to deter me from doing my job as your governor, rest assured I will find a way to work even than I was just yesterday for the good people of Pennsylvania.

Here’s a third truth. If he was trying to terrorize our family, our friends, the Jewish community who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night? Hear me on this. We celebrated our faith last night proudly, and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover, again, proudly. No one will deter me or my family or any Pennsylvanian from celebrating their faith openly and proudly.

I am grateful to the good people of Pennsylvania for giving me the honor to serve as their 48th governor. I will continue to pour every ounce of my being into this work.

I’m going to do my best to be your governor and right now to be a good husband and father to my family who are obviously traumatized by what occurred here last night.

Watch the clip above via Gov. Josh Shapiro.